THE group hoping to buy Oxford Stadium has told its owners to sell up before they lose too much money.

Nick Budimir, who is working with Oxfordshire farmer Robert Tyrrell to buy the Sandy Lane stadium, has said they will put together a new bid for it.

Galliard is hoping to demolish the stadium and replace it with 220 homes, but this was rejected by Oxford City Council and is now going to a planning appeal.

Mr Budimir, a friend of football manager Harry Redknapp, who once owned a greyhound with the QPR boss, was speaking after the city council awarded the stadium conservation area status, giving it further protection from developers.

He said: “It is time to sit down and talk sensibly about this because we are wasting money. We have put two bids in already and we will increase the bid. We just want to get on with it.

“Galliard thinks that the support for the stadium will just go away but that’s a non-runner.

“They are playing a game that if they string it out long enough no one will care. But people do care.

“I don’t want to wait until November for the appeal to be refused, which it will be, to then start negotiating again so let us be sensible and let’s get this deal done.”

Related links

Promoted stories

Greyhound racing at the stadium stopped in December 2012 when owners, the Greyhound Racing Association, said it that was no longer financially viable to hold the events there.

After the city council rejected the 220 home scheme, Galliard took the issue to a planning appeal, which means than an independent Government inspector will make a final decision after an inquiry, starting on September 9.

Mr Tyrrell is a Steventon-based farmer who sits on the village’s parish council and who has owned racehorses for 30 years.

Andy Cooper runs Karting Oxford, which is still operating at the stadium.

He said: “If they want to put in a bid that’s all well and good. It clearly demonstrates that the site here is quite viable in some people’s eyes.

“I’d have thought the best thing to do would be to let Galliard spend their money on the inquiry. Their case is very weak but they are into it too far in my opinion.

Share article

“Once it has been turned down that will signicantly devalue the site.”

Galliard declined to comment.

Promoted Stories

Comments (3)

I would take the offer galliards as we will never give in. Surely with the 1000's of people that use this area should be telling you that it is what they want and not more housing. We will keep fighting to the end, no matter what you put up.

I would take the offer galliards as we will never give in. Surely with the 1000's of people that use this area should be telling you that it is what they want and not more housing. We will keep fighting to the end, no matter what you put up.dianetaylor

I would take the offer galliards as we will never give in. Surely with the 1000's of people that use this area should be telling you that it is what they want and not more housing. We will keep fighting to the end, no matter what you put up.

Score: 0

Andrew:Oxford says...12:37pm Sat 19 Apr 14

From the perspective of the lender and the corporate treasurer - they're not "losing" money. They have a large tranche of land close to grade "A" employers, a branch of M&S, Next and Tesco, adjacent to a potential tram line as well as next to a large housing estate. You could not ask for a better plot of land to bank for future development. The capital appreciation of land in Oxford has vastly exceeded both inflation and interest rates over the last 20 years. They don't *need* to do anything but sit and wait.

From the perspective of the lender and the corporate treasurer - they're not "losing" money.
They have a large tranche of land close to grade "A" employers, a branch of M&S, Next and Tesco, adjacent to a potential tram line as well as next to a large housing estate.
You could not ask for a better plot of land to bank for future development.
The capital appreciation of land in Oxford has vastly exceeded both inflation and interest rates over the last 20 years.
They don't *need* to do anything but sit and wait.Andrew:Oxford

From the perspective of the lender and the corporate treasurer - they're not "losing" money. They have a large tranche of land close to grade "A" employers, a branch of M&S, Next and Tesco, adjacent to a potential tram line as well as next to a large housing estate. You could not ask for a better plot of land to bank for future development. The capital appreciation of land in Oxford has vastly exceeded both inflation and interest rates over the last 20 years. They don't *need* to do anything but sit and wait.

Score: -18

Greytexploitations says...9:42am Mon 21 Apr 14

Commercial dog racing - funded and controlled by the gambling industry - is dependent on inherent cruel practices for it's financial viability. The culling of healthy puppies that fail to chase the mechanical lure or are too slow to 'make the grade' The destruction of dogs that sustain treatable but 'career ending' injuries on the dangerously configured tracks designed purely for the spectator. The destruction of healthy greyhounds deemed no longer suitable as a 'betting product' - too old or slow - if no retirement home can be found. In 2011 the racing industry failed to account for over 10,000 greyhounds bred for British racing - despite much of the data collected by them via the GBGB 'Retirement Forms' "Greyhound racing is a self-regulating gambling business that depends on the uncontrolled breeding and unaccountable disappearance of thousands of dogs every year. That is a situation that is unacceptable and indefensible" ~ Annette Crosbie OBE http://greytexploita tions.com/

Commercial dog racing - funded and controlled by the gambling industry - is dependent on inherent cruel practices for it's financial viability.
The culling of healthy puppies that fail to chase the mechanical lure or are too slow to 'make the grade'
The destruction of dogs that sustain treatable but 'career ending' injuries on the dangerously configured tracks designed purely for the spectator.
The destruction of healthy greyhounds deemed no longer suitable as a 'betting product' - too old or slow - if no retirement home can be found.
In 2011 the racing industry failed to account for over 10,000 greyhounds bred for British racing - despite much of the data collected by them via the GBGB 'Retirement Forms'
"Greyhound racing is a self-regulating gambling business that depends on the uncontrolled breeding and unaccountable disappearance of thousands of dogs every year. That is a situation that is unacceptable and indefensible" ~ Annette Crosbie OBE
http://greytexploita
tions.com/Greytexploitations

Commercial dog racing - funded and controlled by the gambling industry - is dependent on inherent cruel practices for it's financial viability. The culling of healthy puppies that fail to chase the mechanical lure or are too slow to 'make the grade' The destruction of dogs that sustain treatable but 'career ending' injuries on the dangerously configured tracks designed purely for the spectator. The destruction of healthy greyhounds deemed no longer suitable as a 'betting product' - too old or slow - if no retirement home can be found. In 2011 the racing industry failed to account for over 10,000 greyhounds bred for British racing - despite much of the data collected by them via the GBGB 'Retirement Forms' "Greyhound racing is a self-regulating gambling business that depends on the uncontrolled breeding and unaccountable disappearance of thousands of dogs every year. That is a situation that is unacceptable and indefensible" ~ Annette Crosbie OBE http://greytexploita tions.com/

Ipsoregulated

This website and associated newspapers adhere to the Independent Press Standardards Organisations's Editors' Code of Practice. If you have a compaint about editorial content which relates to inaccuracy or intrusion, then please contact the editor here. If you are dissatisfied with the response provided you can contact IPSO here